Jeremy Lin feels good, but doubts 1st-round playoff return

Knicks guard Jeremy Lin said Sunday he feels "pretty good" after knee surgery but doesn't think he could make it back for the first round of the playoffs.

NEW YORK — Knicks guard Jeremy Lin said Sunday he feels "pretty good" after knee surgery but doesn't think he could make it back for the first round of the playoffs.

"I think unless something goes really well, I wouldn't get there," Lin said before the Knicks played the Chicago Bulls.

Lin had surgery Monday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. The Knicks have said the expected recovery time is about six weeks.

The playoffs begin April 28. The Knicks, also playing without the injured Amare Stoudemire, went into Sunday's game holding the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference. Lin won't rule out a return if the Knicks can advance in the postseason.

"It depends on how far and how long it goes," Lin said. "But obviously I want to get to 100 percent and then come back, hopefully see what I can do. By then it'll be a different team identity, chemistry, so it gets tricky, too. Yeah, I'm doing everything, we're doing everything we can to get back as soon as possible."

The point guard said he is working out on a bike and hopes to start running late next week.

Lin became the Knicks' starter in February after he hardly seeing playing time. The undrafted Harvard product had a heavy workload in a compressed season, which may have contributed to his injury.

"I still may have gotten hurt. That's hard to say," Lin said. "I mean, I think obviously a condensed schedule can be harder on people's bodies. I don't know if that was the exact cause. I don't know if I would have still gotten hurt if it was a normal season. That's kind of hard to guess."

Lin said doctors found no more damage during the surgery, which he called minor.

Draft early entrees

Harrison Barnes, f, N. Carolina

J'Covan Brown, g, Texas

Moe Harkless, g-f, St. John's

John Henson, f, North Carolina

Meyers Leonard, c, Illinois

Damian Lillard, g, Weber St.

Kendall Marshall, g, N. Carolina

Fab Melo, c, Syracuse

Arnett Moultrie, f, Miss. St.

Austin Rivers, g, Duke

Terrence Ross, g, Washington

Renardo Sidney, f, Miss.St.

Jared Sullinger, f, Ohio State

Hollis Thompson, f, Georgetown

Dion Waiters, g, Syracuse

Maalik Wayns, g, Villanova

Royce White, f, Iowa State

Tony Wroten, g, Washington

BJ Young, g, Arkansas

Note: players can withdraw by April 10, provided they do not hire an agent.nbanotes